A look back at 2018

As I wrap up my first full week back at work after the Christmas holidays I wanted to reflect on 2018 in a few different ways and share our Top 10 Vegan Rhapsody Recipes for the year:

Since my vegan journey (and our shared journey as a vegan family) started in late January 2017 our two year Veganniversary is fast approaching….whoot whoot!

Many people continue to distill veganism to a singular focus on diet. This past year has reinforced my belief that veganism is not about diet; rather it’s a lifestyle choice that touches on one’s social life, work life, leisure time and spending habits. As a parent, a vegan lifestyle means making a vegan-friendly pizza to take to my daughter’s birthday party, whipping up a batch of vegan cupcakes my kids can take to school to join in celebrating a classmate’s birthday, and advocating for change with my local school district so that my kids can participate in the hot lunch school program. For our family, a vegan lifestyle means sourcing recyclable toothbrushes, phosphate-free dishwasher pellets, chemical-free and cruelty-free household cleaning products (and cosmetics of course) and bringing reusable shopping bags wherever we go. We really try to align our spending with products and businesses who value health, animal welfare and the planet over profit. When it comes to family fun, our vegan lifestyle means taking long hikes and runs with the kids as well as visiting health and wellness expos and nature reserves rather than visiting rodeos, zoos and the like. Each of us has a different way of connecting with veganism and expressing our beliefs. This past year I’ve learned that the more I align all areas of my life with values that drive me to be vegan the happier I am….I encourage you to do the same

Janik and I decided to attend two family-friendly vegan meetups last year. Organized by members of a local Facebook group, the first event was a summer picnic and the second was a Halloween party. We were asked to bring a simple, no-fuss vegan dish of our choosing (any excuse to share vegan food is a win with me!) It was pretty amazing to meet people who share the same lifestyle without having to feel the need to explain why or normalize it. Seeing so many passionate vegans in one place – and from all walks of life – has also given me a sense of community I think I’ve been missing. If you’ve been thinking about going to a vegan-oriented meetup or function get out there and JUST DO IT!

On Jan 1^st we returned from spending the holidays with our family and friends back in Ontario. My mom and stepdad hosted us at their home and even before we got there my mom researched vegan-friendly brands she could stock up so we would feel at home. My dad and stepmom met us at an Italian restaurant with various dishes that could be customized with plant-based ingredients. I am incredibly grateful to have family and friends who support our vegan lifestyle in the ways they can 😊

To round out today’s post (which clearly deviates from the norm!) I’d like to share our Top 10 Vegan Rhapsody recipes from 2018 (see below). You’ll notice that many of these recipes (in fact most on our blog) are written with Thermomix instructions. While the Thermomix is my go-to appliance (it’s a European-built appliance that replaces a food processor, stand mixer and high-powered blender) I appreciate that most people don’t have a Thermomix (let alone have even heard of one). My goal this year will be to revamp each recipe in our Vegan Rhapsody library with generic instructions. That being said please keep in mind that all of our recipes can be made without a Thermomix…rather than CHOP, GRIND, WHISK, COOK or SIMMER using Thermomix function/temperature/blade settings use your own appliance/cooking instrument of choice and you are set 😊

Cheers to an incredible year ahead!